Somersaulting-vehicle.



No. 810,303. PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

J. 6: E. RAVEL.

SOMERSAULTING VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

\ WITNESSES anyvsmroks m 3 am/WM 0W4 ATTORNEYS No. 810,303. PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

J. & E. RAVBL. SOMERSAULTING VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTORS I? 2 H 2r Man ATTORNEYS PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

J. & E. RAVEL. SOMERSAULTING VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28,1905.

3 SHBETSSHEET 3.

INVENTORS WITNESSES v ATTORNEYS UNITED STAEEALENT orrrcn JOSEPH RAVEL AND EDOUARD RAVEL, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNORS TO CHARLES MALDEN-EROALE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

SOMERSAULTING-VEHlCLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed September 28, 1905. Serial No. 230,558.

To all whom, it WHY/y concern:

Be it known that we, JosEPH RAVEL and EDOUARD RAvEL, engineers, citizens of the French Republic, residing at 19 Boulevard Pereire, Paris, France, have invented a certain new and useful Somersaulting-Vehicle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exict description, and for which we have aplied for Letters Patent in France, dated pril13, 1905.

This invention relates to those chutes or tracks which cause a vehicle to perform a somersault. The invention appertains to that class of chute in which a gap is provided near the bottom of a declivity and the track continued beyond that gap, the vehicle being caused to jump the gap and at the same time turn over by means of a kick imparted to the vehicle just as it leaves the first part of the track.

The present invention relates to improvements in this class of track and vehicle, whereby a striker upon the under side of the moving vehicle releases or unlatches a cam impelled to revolve by powerful springs, the revolution of the cam causing a plate to rise abruptly out of the track and impart the desired kick to the vehicle.

The invention also comprises certain details and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The invention is illustrated upon the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation showing the mechanism at the moment when the vehicle, reaching the end of the first part of the track, acts upon the unlatching device of the arrangement which imparts to it the kick necessary for its somersault. Fig. 2 shows the mechanism at the moment the vehicle is leaving the first part of the track. Fig. 3 shows the mechanism just after the vehicle has left the first part of the track. Fig. 4 is a front view of the mechanism.

The track down which the vehicle falls is indicated at A and is slightly upturned at A at the end from which the vehicle takes off. One part of this end portion A is formed of a movable plate B, fast to a lever C, pivoted at c to a support mounted on the fixed part A of the track. The plate B is shown arranged in the middle portion of the track and is fitted at its free end with an inclined plane I).

The lever O is furnished with a roller c,by means of which it bears upon a cam D, as will be presently described. This cam is fast to a sleeve (1, mounted loosely on an axle E, supported by the frame F. Upon the sleeve (1 are coiled, one on each side of cam D, two springs G G, attached to both this sleeve (1 and to two collars e 6, made fast to the axle E. The axle E is provided with a ratchet- Wheel 6, with which engage retaining-pawls 6 These springs G G are those which impart to the vehicle the necessary kick. They are of suitable strength for this purpose.

The collars e are provided with holes in which can be inserted a tommy, whereby the tension of the springs can be altered. This adjustment can also be made by means of a crank-handle j, fast to a shaft J, carrying a toothed pinion j, connected by a chain to a sprocket-wheel (Z fast to the sleeve d of the cam D. This cam D carries two lateral projections cl d, which are engaged in the slots of two arms h h, fast to two levers H H, when the springs G G are in their tensioned position. This arrangement of levers H H h h is secured to an axle h, pivoting in bearings upon the fixed frame F. The two levers H H project upon the track movable plate B aforesaid.

The vehicle is furnished on its lower face with a projection or striker, which when it reaches the bottom of the track meet the extremity of the lever H. One of these strikers H is preferably fitted on each side of the vehicle, sothat both the levers H are struck simultaneously.

The vehicle is fitted at its rear with two rollers B, which when the vehicle arrives at nearly the end of the track meet the movable plate B. Upon the fore part of the frame F is arranged a laminated spring I, intended to slow down and stop in the desired time the rotatory movement of the cam D.

After thev vehicle has been kicked the movable plate B as it falls back is buffered by an elastic device. This may consist of a drum or pad K, of rubber, for instance, fast.

at each side of the the levers H H h h are first brought back to the position shown in Fig. 1. The projections d of the cam are thus engaged in the jaws at the end of-the arms h, fast to the le-.

vers H. The springs G G are coiled by turn ing the collars e e, secured upon the axle E, either by means of tommies or the crankhandle 9'. The springs G being brought to a suitable degree of tension are held at one end by reason of the engaging of the pawls 6 with the ratchet-wheel e and at the other extremity by reason of the engagement of the projections d of the cam D in the jaws of the arms h h. The guide 7c has also been brought forward, so that its elastic buffer K no longer bears upon the seat L. This slide, which when brought forward stretches its spring is, is retained by the abutment l. The lever C then rests, by means of its friction-roller 0, upon the cam D. The mechanism being in this state, the vehicle is started down the track. When it reaches the bottom of the latter, its rollers B engage the movable plate B and its striker H meets the end of the levers H, which with their arms h pivot at h. The jaws in the arms h h are thus disengaged from the projections d of cam D. The latter is thus at liberty to be acted on by the springs G, which in uncoiling cause the cam to rotate abruptly in the direction X. The cam D then raises in a quick movement the lever C, and consequently the plate B, which by means of its inclined plane I) acts upon the rollers B at the end of the vehicle, imparting to it the necessary kick to cause it to turn over While it traverses the gap between the two parts of the track. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) When the movable plate B reialls, the lever C does not strike the cam D, because the elastic buffer K then rests upon the scat L, the 'uide having been during this movement 0? the lever C recalled by the spring 7c to a position such as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In its movement of rotation the cam D rubs against the spring I, which acts as a brake thereon and prevents its continued rotation and the latter is also limited by the stop 'L.

The mechanism above described can be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as such, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. Means for causing a vehicle to somersault across a gap in a track, comprising a plate arranged in the track and mounted upon a pivoted lever, a spring-actuated cam adapted to raise said lever and plate, a retaining device which prevents the rotation of the cam and means carried by the vehicle for unlatching said retaining device.

2. Means for causing a vehicle to somersault across a gap in a track, as described, comprising a plate movable upward in the track, said plate being mounted on a lever pivoted to the under side of the track, a cam adapted to raise said lever and plate, coiled springs upon the axis of the cam tending to rotate the same, a lateral projection on the cam, a lever mounted on an axle and engaging said projection, a second lever mounted on said axle and projectin into the track, and a striker upon the ve icle adapted to meet said second lever and to release the cam.

3. Means for causing a vehicle to somersault across a gap in a track, as described, comprising a cam-lifted plate in the track, said plate being mounted on a pivoted lever, and a laminated spring adapted to brake the the cam movement after the plate has been raised. 3

4. Means for causing a vehicle to somersault across a gap in a track, as described, comprising a cam-lifted plate in the track, said plate being mounted on a pivoted lever, a sliding cushioning device upon the under side of the lever, an upstanding seat for said cushion, and an abutment on the seat.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH RAVEL. EDOUARD RAVEL. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN BLOOHE, HANSON 0. 00x12.

Correction in- Letters Patent No. 810,303.

granted January 16, 1906, upon the application of Joseph Ravel and Edouard Ravel, of Paris,- France, for an improvement in Somersaulting-Vehicles, was erroneously Written and printed Charles Malden-Ercale, whereas the said name should have been written and printed Charles Maiden-Boole; and that said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of April, A. D.; 1906.

[SEAL] F. I. ALLEN,

Commissioner of Patents. 

